


Barely Tolerable

by Ren the Ripper (MrsRen)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Pride and Prejudice AU because we always need more of those, i might expand this into a fic?, just a drabble to start me out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 19:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16455812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsRen/pseuds/Ren%20the%20Ripper
Summary: Rey Johnson realizes that her duty in life is to marry well for the sake of her family. Ben Solo presents himself as the dream of every girl during the era. If only he was as pleasant as he looked.





	Barely Tolerable

Rey glanced around the room, from the fine tapestries that were draped about the walls, to the crystal like chandeliers which hung all too elegantly from the ceilings, and finally,  _ finally,  _ her treacherous mind whispered from the recesses of her brain, to the three individuals entering the room. 

 

Quite plainly put, her mouth dried, though her sister elbowing her in the ribs sobered her quickly. At her side, Rose giggled, whispered in hushed tones that the raven haired one looked oh so nice. 

 

Yet he didn’t look nice at all, Rey realized. His features were rugged, though he was dressed from head to toe in the finest clothes she’d probably ever seen. Even her imagination couldn’t have drummed up the picture walking her way. Bowing, kneeling her head with a false smile on her face, Rey did not make eye contact. 

 

The man had a sharp jawline, lips that were presently curved into a smile that screamed of false niceties, and she could imagine how it could be a smirk. A smirk that was too charming, or perhaps it could be feral. His hair was dark, appearing to be the same hue as the ink that sloshed around in her inkwell at home. It looked like it would be soft, and beneath the soft lights of the room, Rey had to turn her face so he might not catch her ogling him. 

 

“Yes,” Rey murmured to her adoptive sister, while their mother was nowhere in sight, “he looks far better than his friend, that is for certain.” It was all she had to say on the matter, so as not to encourage Rose. 

 

The tiniest bit of encouragement would surely land Rey in the middle of the ballroom with the dark stranger. If Rose had anything to say about it - and gods, no, if she got their mother involved? Rey could only wince at the thought. 

 

And then the stranger was standing against a column, his lips pressed into a thin line as he watched his friend move about the room. And as Rey followed his line of sight, she saw that his friend had swept Jessica right off of the dance floor.

* * *

 

She was having a horrible night, one that had only gotten worse when the stranger’s friend - his name was Mr. Dameron, she chastised herself - had mentioned to Mr. Solo that Rey was quite agreeable. 

 

“If I might be so bold, Mr. Solo,” Mr. Dameron went on, “she is quite pretty. I cannot be the only dancing around the room; you should ask her to dance with you.” 

 

At the urging of his friend, Mr. Solo’s handsome features contorted into a sneer, and he shook his head. Caught completely unawares that Rey stood not even three feet from him, merely unseen while she spoke with Jessica, he proclaimed rather loudly, “She is barely tolerable, but not handsome enough for me.” 

 

Stuck between rage, and damning her ladylike act so she could wring his neck, Rey flattened down the front of her dress before turning away from him. Not that he could see her, but it felt like she was scooping up the jagged shards of her pride. Well, she supposed two could play at that game, especially if he was so intent on reminding her why she was at the proverbial social ladder.

* * *

 

It shouldn’t have happened, and yet it did, and yet Rey could not bring herself to regret her boldness when Mr. Solo was left utterly shocked. 

 

It had been a simple conversation, one with their mother going on, and on about how Jessica had once had a secret admirer, and how the young man had written her bundles of poems. Their mother conveniently left out that the boy was a fraud, and how Rey had found those poems for sale in a shop at the price of one coin a week later - but she digressed. 

 

And the topic had come up. “How do you encourage one’s affections, Miss Johnson?” Mr. Solo asked, motioning with his hand. The man possessed rather long fingers, the fingers that belonged to a pianist, Rey thought. 

 

A wry grin twisted her lips, and anyone that knew her - her mother, Rose, and Jessica being close enough to see it -, knew she’d probably thought about what she was about to say. And that it was less than appropriate, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. “Oh, perhaps dancing even if one’s partner is barely tolerable?” Rey suggested cheekily, spinning on her heel. 

 

And while her mother had no idea what sort of sleeping monster had woken, Mr. Solo was left bewildered as Rey walked away from him, a triumphant smirk twisting her lips, and she pushed out of the entrance, and stepped into the cool night. 

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, it's been like a year since I've written reylo, and I actually made a separate pseud to write reylo. So I'm starting out fresh. I wrote this as a result of the drabble me this in the Reylo Fic Recs Facebook group. 
> 
> I might expand it, and if I did, I'm sure I would have to change a lot, but I enjoyed this little bit! If you feel so inclined to leave me feedback, I would be grateful.


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